Oakeshott doubts Thomson’s claims

May 21st, 2012

FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda

Key independent MP Rob Oakeshott says he doubts fellow crossbencher Craig Thomson’s defence against claims of fraud.

The suspended Labor MP on Monday gave an hour-long statement to parliament about allegations in a Fair Work Australia investigation report that he used a union-issued credit card to pay for escorts and lavish meals.

Mr Thomson is alleged to have misused union funds when he was boss of the Health Services Union (HSU) from 2002 to 2007.

Asked if someone other than Mr Thomson had used his credit card, licence and mobile phone, Mr Oakeshott told ABC Television: “It’s possible, but in my personal view it’s unlikely.”

Mr Oakeshott said his judgment was based on the 1100-page report from Fair Work Australia (FWA), which was released two weeks ago.

The FWA report found 156 contraventions against Mr Thomson.

The independent MP said the acknowledgment of Mr Thomson on his delay in making a statement was “disappointing for parliamentarians in particular”.

“Basically his confirmation he was slow to act in making a statement to the parliament, and allowing this to drag on,” Mr Oakeshott said.

Mr Oakeshott said Mr Thomson and the Labor Party would have acted differently if the member for Dobell had put the parliament “first and foremost in his mind”.

“That’s the bit I want to give some consideration to,” he said.

“Not the evidence, not the politics, but just this process issue of whether he’s let other members of parliament down in allowing to drag on so long before standing up today and starting to explain himself.”

He said there would be a range of debates from Tuesday on the notice paper following Mr Thomson’s speech.

Among these would be one from the coalition for a 14-day suspension of Mr Thomson, while Mr Oakeshott said he was likely to bring a code of conduct onto the notice paper in the coming days.

Fellow crossbench MPs Tony Windsor, Andrew Wilkie and Bob Katter all agreed MPs should not act as “judge and jury” in the matter.